| "I feared the war, yes, but I also feared exile. I was afraid of walking away from my own life, my friends and my family, my whole history, everything that mattered to me. I feared losing the respect of my parents. I feared the law. I feared ridicule and censure." (The Things They Carried, p. 48). | The soldiers were hit with a moral split. Not only were they afraid of the war, but they were also afraid of walking away from the war. They did not want to be perceived as cowards and disgrace their family. Instead, they end up going to battle because they feared the ridicule they would face if they did not go. |